Election 2026 recap: A historic shift in Texas politics

In a historic turn of events, November 3rd marked the end of the 32-year Republican reign in Texas, a result many of us did not expect. For decades, a blue Texas has been the long-awaited goal of many progressive organizations and national Democrats hoping to shift the country’s political landscape. The path to a Democratic president can now realistically be said to run through Texas.

The gubernatorial race, which many feared would result in Greg Abbott becoming the longest serving governor in Texas history, delivered a shocking result. With almost a million votes over Abbott, Gina Hinojosa became the first Latina governor in Texas history. Hinojosa, whose campaign promises included firing Mike Morath – who has been spending his time taking over school districts – provides significant hope for positive change in how the state handles public education.

The good news continued all down the ballot. The race for Lieutenant Governor, held by Dan Patrick – who has led the fight against THC, books, and for Christian nationalism – was won by Rep. Vikki Goodwin. The race for Attorney General, a position that has been held by Ken Paxton for 11 years, was won by Sen. Nathan Johnson. Johnson ran against Sen. Mayes Middleton, who expressed desire to follow Paxton's path in using the office as a tool against ideology and curriculum debates if he won the position.

The race for Comptroller – who acts as the chief financial officer in Texas and custodian of the voucher program – a position held by former Sen. Don Huffines, was taken by Sen. Sarah Ekhardt. The race for Railroad Commissioner, which grabbed national attention following Republican candidate Bo French’s racist tweet towards South Asian UT Austin students enjoying a football game, was won by Rep. Jon Rosenthal. The race for Land Commissioner, a position currently held by former Sen. Dawn Buckingham, was won by Benajmin Flores. And finally, the race for Agriculture Commissioner – whose responsibilities include financially assisting farmers, ranchers, and school nutrition issues – was won by Clayton Tucker.

U.S. Senate

Early into the night, James Talarico began leading the U.S. Senate race, not too long after securing the lead, he was announced as the winner, defeating Ken Paxton. The win by Talarico, who used to teach language arts at Rhodes Middle School and was a member of the San Antonio Alliance, will ensure Texas gets the federal representation it has long deserved.

U.S. Congress

Leading up to the midterm elections, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Texas’ new map of gerrymandered Congressional districts, which was designed to give Republicans five more seats in the U.S. House. The goal of the new map was to create more districts that voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 in an effort to hedge against a probable disappointing midterm for the GOP.

The results of the gerrymandering, however, fell short of Republicans' intended goals. Going into this year's election, Republicans held 24 of the 38 congressional seats, which they expected to increase. But due to the surge of Democrat voters amid this battle, Republicans' initial goal of a 30-8 split in the U.S. House, turned out to be only a 24-14 split, with Democrats gaining a vacant seat.

What’s Next

With newfound hope, Democrats are gearing up for the 90th legislative session to begin in 2027. Following her campaign promise to fire TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, Gina Hinojosa announced Thursday at a press conference that her team has begun interviewing people for the position.

The results of this election, which is being called a “blue tsunami,” has reshaped the status quo in Texas. For decades, many have had to fight tirelessly as Republican leaders use their positions to further political infighting and undercut public education. Democrats, advocates, and a vanishing amount of pro-public education Republicans have lobbied for years to attempt to curb the damage done. But with the failures of the past leaving a sour taste in the mouths of many Texans, millions voted for change, and change is what they’ll get.

The wins of the 2026 midterm elections mean that the coalition against vouchers will now have the Governor and Lieutenant Governor in its corner. Students in public schools can realistically hope for increased funding, which will positively impact student performance around the state. Teachers across Texas can now hope for funding that will go towards classrooms, pay, and improved benefits. As Governor, Gina Hinojosa has the power to select people to the Boards of Regents at UT Austin and other public university systems. The effects of having this pro-public education slate in office will be seismic.

The results of the election should remind everyone of why it is essential to be an active member of politics. Change requires time, but the people will always prevail when they organize. As much as this is a win for Texans, it’s a win for our dedicated members that have given so much to their communities and worked this election to organize and get out the vote. For that, we thank you. As we look forward to new governance in Texas, we will continue to work with our newly elected state officials to ensure that public schools have the resources needed for success.